Tk 1.44b more sought for Rooppur N-plant

Rezaul Karim | Published: April 18, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00

The ministry of science and technology (MoST) has sought an additional allocation of Tk 1.44 billion for the proposed Rooppur Nuclear Power Project (RNPP) in Revised Annual Development Programme (RADP), official said.
The MoST Secretary Khandaker M Asaduzzaman sent a letter to Finance Secretary Fazle Kabir seeking the money for the RNPP in the fiscal year (FY) 2013-14, according to the MoST sources.
Over Tk 2.46 billion was allocated in Annual Development Programme (ADP) of the current FY. Of the amount, some Tk 2.07 billion has been paid for the second installment according to the deal. Â
As per the RNPP contract, the Russian government will disburse its promised state export credit to the tune of US$500 million. The government is required to make available an advance equivalent to 10 per cent of the amount.
The third agreement value would be $180 million out of $500 million. There is no payable fund to make an advance equivalent to 10 per cent of the amount for the third installment.
The agreement is to be signed with the Russian construction firm Atomstroyexport within this month. The advance fund, 10 per cent of $180 amount, has to paid by June this year, sources said.
The government plans to complete the project within five years from March 2012 to 2017 to produce 2,000MW electricity. The present government has planned to generate 1,000 MW of electricity by 2021 and another 1,000 MW by 2022 from the RNPP.
The government allocated a small amount in the current fiscal year for the country's first nuclear power plant project at Rooppur. Earlier, the science and technology ministry sought over Tk20 billion to start the first phase work on the project, concerned sources said.
The RNPP will be registered as a company with the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms, sources added.